Electronic coin bank

ABSTRACT

An electronic coin bank comprises a coin bank, a coin-throwing device and a circuit structure, which changed the single function of saving money of a conventional coin bank into an electronic coin bank, wherein a coin-throwing device is provided for setting the values of the coins and throwing the coins, a circuit structure is provided for setting the stored values, the preparedly stored values, the saving progress, the rewarding music, time and alarm clock, and a transmission connector is connected to a computer. Since the diversifying of the functions and by using the finance-managing software installed in the computer, the children will form a good habit of saving.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a coin bank, and more particularly toan electronic coin bank which changed the single function of savingmoney of a conventional coin bank into an electronic coin bank, whereina coin-throwing device is provided for setting the values of the coinsand throwing the coins, a circuit structure is provided for setting thestored values, the preparedly stored values, the saving progress, therewarding music, time and alarm clock, and a transmission connector isconnected to a computer.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A conventional coin bank is hollow-shaped, a suitable position of thecoin bank is formed with a coin-entering hole, and another suitableposition of the coin bank is formed with a coin-taking hole so as tostore the coins in the coin bank and form a good habit of saving.However, for a long time, the manufacturers mainly focus on the shape ofthe coin bank, which has some disadvantages described as follows:

Firstly, the conventional coin bank is unable to know the total of thestored coins at any time.

Secondly, if you want to know the total of the stored coins in the coinbank, you must take out all the coins in the coin bank and countartificially, so every time the user have to repeat such action.

Thirdly, since the kinds of the coins are different and the numbers ofthe coins are too many, the accuracy of counting will be reduced, andthe process of counting will cost a lot of time.

Fourthly, the pure changing of the shape of the coin bank is unable toproduce user's interests, and after a long time, the user will throw thecoin bank away.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide anelectronic coin bank, wherein a coin-throwing device is provided fordistinguishing the values of the coins and throwing the coins, a circuitstructure is provided for setting the kinds of the coins, the numbers ofthe coins, the stored values, the preparedly stored values, the savingprogress, the rewarding music, time and alarm clock, and a transmissionconnector is connected to a computer.

The second primary objective of the present invention is to provide anelectronic coin bank, wherein the transmission connector of the circuitstructure is connected to the computer, so that the user can program andmanage the coins stored in the coin bank and show the value of each coinby the finance-managing software installed in the computer andcompatible with the circuit structure of the coin bank.

The third primary objective of the present invention is to provide anelectronic coin bank, wherein the user can know the total of the coinsstored in the coin bank, the number of each coin and the saving progressat any time without counting artificially. Thereby the present inventioncan save manpower and time.

The further primary objective of the present invention is to provide anelectronic coin bank which can set the saving goal according to thecapability of the user, and implement the saving progress according tothe saving goal set by the user. Once reaching a saving progress, thesystem will provide the rewarding music to the user, in addition toincrease the saving interests of the user, the present invention has theeffects of rewarding and entertainment.

The present invention is characterized in that: the electronic coin bankcomprises a coin bank, a coin-throwing device and a circuit structure.The coin bank is provided for collecting the coins, and thecoin-throwing device is mounted in the coin bank that is locatedcorrespondingly to a hole, such that the circuit structure can receivethe signals of the coin-throwing device. A displaying panel and aplurality of setting buttons are disposed adjacent to the hole of thecoin bank so as to show the set functions and the operation of the setfunctions of the circuit structure. The bottom of the coin bank isformed with another hole having a cover, a battery container and atransmission hole, such that the power and part of the functions of thecircuit structure will return to zero. Since the transmission connectorof the circuit structure is connected to the transmission hole, the usercan communicate with the computer by means of substantial transmissionlines or wireless transmission. The circuit structure is provided forsetting the kinds of the coins, the numbers of the coins, the storedvalues, saving goal (the preparedly stored values), the saving progress,the rewarding music, time and alarm clock, and the transmissionconnector is connected to the computer.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodimentsin accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic coin bank in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electronic coin bank in accordancewith a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of the electronic coin bank in accordancewith a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the electronic coin bank in accordancewith a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a circuit structure of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a displaying panel and setting buttons of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electronic coin bank in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention comprises a coin bank 10, acoin-throwing device 20 (not shown) and a circuit structure 30 (notshown). The coin bank 10 is provided for collecting coins 40 (notshown), an upper surface of the coin bank 10 is defined with a hole 11,a displaying panel 12 and a plurality of setting buttons 13 are disposedadjacent to the hole 11, and the bottom of the coin bank 10 is formedwith a hole 141 (not shown) having a cover 14, a battery container 15and a transmission hole 16. The coin-throwing device 20 (not shown) andthe circuit structure 30 (not shown) are mounted in the coin bank 10that are located correspondingly to the hole 11, and the coin-throwingdevice 20 is electrically connected to the circuit structure 30, suchthat the circuit structure 30 can receive the signals of thecoin-throwing device 20. The displaying panel 12 and the setting buttons13 of the coin bank 10 are electrically connected to the circuitstructure 30 so as to show the set functions and the operation of theset functions of the circuit structure 30, and the battery container 15is provided for supplying power to the circuit structure 30. The cover14 is electrically connected to the circuit structure 30, so that whenthe user opens the cover 14 to take the coins 40 of the coin bank 10 outof the hole 141, part of the functions will return to zero (described indetail later). The transmission hole 16 of the coin bank 10 iselectrically connected to a transmission connector 34 provided by thecircuit structure 30, such that the user can communicate with thecomputer by means of substantial transmission lines or wirelesstransmission (such as infrared ray, wireless electric wave andbluetooth). By such arrangements, the user can program and manage thecoins stored in the coin bank 10 and show the value of each coin 40 bythe finance-managing software installed in the computer and compatiblewith the circuit structure 30 of the coin bank 10.

With reference to FIG. 3, one side of the coin-throwing device 20 isrepeatedly disposed with a circuit structure 30 and is provided formeasuring and throwing the coin 40 (not shown), and the coin-throwingdevice 20 includes a front and a rear plates 21, a left and a rightsliding blocks 22, a sensing assembly 23 and an elastic element 24. Thefront and rear plates 21 are combined to form a coin-entering hole 211located correspondingly to the hole 11 of the coin bank 10, and bothsides of the plate 21 are disposed with a sliding block 22 that canmoved outward. Between the front and the rear plates 21 is formed twoprotruded points 221 that are located correspondingly to each other, andthe distance between the protruded points 221 is smaller than the outerdiameter of the smallest coin 40. At least one outer side of the plate21 is disposed with one elastic element 24, and since both ends of theelastic element 24 are combined to the sides of the sliding blocks 22,the sliding blocks 22 can be repositioned after being moved outwardwhich is equal to one surface of the elastic element 24. The bottom ofthe sliding block 22 is disposed with the sensing assembly 23 having anelectronic brush connecting foot 231 and a brush piece 232, theelectronic brush connecting foot 231 is combined to one sliding block22, and the brush piece 232 is combined to another sliding block 22. Theelectronic brush connecting foot 231 and the brush piece 232 are made ofmetal and are electrically connected to the circuit structure 30, thusforming the structure of the coin-throwing device 20.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, when the coin-throwing device 20 is in anormal condition, the distance between the protruded points of thesliding blocks 22 is smaller than the outer diameter of the smallestcoin 40 (as shown in FIG. 4). When the coin 40 is thrown into the hole11 of the coin bank 10 and via the coin-entering hole 211 of thecoin-throwing device 20, the sliding blocks 22 will be moved outward bythe biggest outer diameter of the coin 40. When the distance between theprotruded points 221 of the sliding blocks 22 is the same as the biggestouter diameter of the coin 40, it is the biggest moving distance of thesliding blocks 22. The sliding blocks 22 are not moved equally, withrespect to the change of the reinforcing point when throwing the coin40, so the total distance of the moving distance of the sliding blocks22 and the distance between the sliding blocks 22 in the normalcondition is the moving distance of the sliding blocks 22. At that time,by the connecting method of the electronic brush connecting foot 231 andthe brush piece 232, and according to the actual moving distance of thesliding blocks 22, the circuit structure 30 will receive a signal. Whenthe coin 40 is thrown into the coin bank 10 via the coin-throwing device20, by the function of repositioning simultaneously of the slidingblocks 22 and the sensing assembly 23 by the elastic element 24, thecoin can be thrown and measured to fix the value of the coin 40.

With reference to FIG. 6, an electronic coin bank in accordance with asecond embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein one side ofthe coin-throwing device 20 is disposed with the circuit structure 30,and the position and the shape of the sensing assembly 23 of thecoin-throwing device 20 of FIG. 6 is different from that of FIGS. 4 and5. The sensing assembly 23 is disposed at the side of the bottom of thesliding blocks 22 relative to the surface of the circuit structure 30,and having two electronic brush connecting feet 231 and a brush piece232, the electronic brush connecting feet 231 are combined to thesliding blocks 22 respectively, and the brush piece 232 is combined tothe surface of the circuit structure 30. The electronic brush connectingfeet 231 and the brush piece 232 are made of metal and are electricallyconnected to the circuit structure 30, thus forming the structure of thecoin-throwing device 20.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, an electronic coin bank in accordance with athird embodiment of the present invention is shown, when thecoin-throwing device 20 is in a normal condition, the distance betweenthe protruded points of the sliding blocks 22 is smaller than the outerdiameter of the smallest coin 40 (as shown in FIG. 7). When the coin 40is thrown into the hole 11 of the coin bank 10 and via the coin-enteringhole 211 of the coin-throwing device 20, the sliding blocks 22 will bemoved outward by the biggest outer diameter of the coin 4. The slidingblocks 22 are not moved equally, with respect to the change of thereinforcing point when throwing the coin 40, so the total distance ofthe moving distance of the sliding blocks 22 and the distance betweenthe sliding blocks 22 in the normal condition is the actual movingdistance of the sliding blocks 22. At that time, by the connectingmethod of the electronic brush connecting foot 231 and the brush piece232, and according to the moving distance of the sliding blocks 22, thecircuit structure 30 will receive a signal.

Referring to FIG. 9, an electronic coin bank in accordance with a fourthembodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein one side of thecoin-throwing device 20 is disposed with the circuit structure 30, andthe position and the shape of the sensing assembly 23 of thecoin-throwing device 20 of FIG. 9 is different from that of FIGS. 4-8.The sensing assembly 23 is disposed at the bottom of the sliding blocks22 correspondingly to a lower portion of the plate 21 and the relativesurface of the circuit structure 30, and having a raster plate 231′ andinfrared rays 232′ that combined to the surface of the circuit structure30. The infrared rays 232′ are electrically connected to the circuitstructure 30, thus forming the structure of the coin-throwing device 20.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, an electronic coin bank in accordance witha fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown, when thecoin-throwing device 20 is in a normal condition, the distance betweenthe protruded points of the sliding blocks 22 is smaller than the outerdiameter of the smallest coin 40 (as shown in FIG. 7). When the coin 40is thrown into the hole 11 of the coin bank 10 and via the coin-enteringhole 211 of the coin-throwing device 20, the sliding blocks 22 will bemoved outward by the biggest outer diameter of the coin 4. The slidingblocks 22 are not moved equally, with respect to the change of thereinforcing point when throwing the coin 40, so the total distance ofthe moving distance of the sliding blocks 22 and the distance betweenthe sliding blocks 22 in the normal condition is the actual movingdistance of the sliding blocks 22. At that time, by the raster plate231′ and the infrared rays 232′ combined to the circuit structure 30 toform the pulse of the infrared rays 232′ by the simultaneous moving ofthe sliding blocks 22, and according to the pulse times to obtain thediameter of the coin 40, and transmit a signal to the circuit structure30.

Referring further to FIGS. 2, 12 and 13, wherein a memory 31 of thecircuit structure 30 is stored with plural values correspondingly to thediameters of the coins and the forms of sound effects (for example,19.05 mm=one cent/21.21 mm=five cents/17.91 mm=one dime/24.26 mm=quarterdollar/30.61 mm=half dollar/26.50 mm=one dollar). If there is nosetting, the diameters of the coins are unable to distinguish. Thedisplaying panel 12 is provided for showing the saving values or amounts121, the saving progress 122, value displaying lights 123 and time 124via a microprocessor 32. The setting buttons 13 includes goal setting131, goal adjusting 132, saving content 133, time setting 134, hoursetting 135 and minute setting 136. When the circuit structure 30 isoperated, there are five conditions: saving counting (normal mode),saving goal setting, time setting, alarm clock setting and savingcontent inquiry.

With regard to the condition of saving goal setting, when the userpresses the goal setting 131 of the setting button 13, the lights 123 ofthe system will be lighted from the second light from upper to lower,and the number of the saving values or the amounts 121 will beglittered. When the user presses the button of the goal adjusting 132,the microprocessor 32 will receive the signals from the goal setting 131and the goal adjusting 132, and the progression of a suitable value(such as 1000 or 2000) serves as a saving goal and shows on the columnof the saving values or the amounts 121 of the displaying panel 12. Whenreaching the required value, the user presses the button of the goalsetting 131 again to send a signal to the microprocessor 32, and onesaving goal will be stored in the memory 31 when the number of thecolumn of the saving values or the amounts 121 are not glittered.

The biggest value of the saving goal is USD500, and then returned tozero. When entering the condition of saving goal setting, if there hasno input information and exceeded the suitable time, the system willreturn to the condition of saving counting (normal mode).

With regard to the condition of saving counting, when the user throwsthe coins of one cent, five cents, one dime, quarter dollar, half dollaror one dollar via the coin-throwing device 20, the coin-throwing device20 will send a signal to the microprocessor 32, and the microprocessor32 will show the value of the coin by the diameter of the coin obtainedfrom the signal corresponded to that of the memory 31 on the column ofthe time 124 of the displaying panel 12. Furthermore, the microprocessor32 will add up the present values and show on the fields of the savingvalues or the amounts 121 of the displaying panel 12, store theaccumulation of several values in the memory 31, and broadcast the musicvia a loudspeaker 33 by intercepting the corresponding form of the soundeffects in the memory 31. At the same time, the displaying panel 12 willproduce glittering effects. When the saving value reaches one-fifth ofthe set saving goal, the microprocessor 32 will send a signal to thedisplaying panel 12 and a first light of the column of the savingprogress 122 of the displaying panel 12 will glitter, and will broadcastthe music via the loudspeaker 33 by intercepting the corresponding formof the sound effects in the memory 31. At the same time, the displayingpanel 12 will produce glittering effects, and a second light and a thirdlight will glitter and broadcast the corresponding music orderly inturns.

Referring to the condition of saving counting, the displaying panel 12will show the time on the column of the time 124 (the value of the coinwill be showed only when the user throws the coin), the fields of thesaving values or the amounts 121 will show the accumulated total of thepresent savings, and the saving progress 122 will show the reachedcondition of the saving goal.

Referring to saving content inquiry, when the user presses the button ofthe saving content 133 of the setting buttons 13, the lights 123 of thesystem will be lighted from the first light from upper to lower, and themicroprocessor 32 will receive a signal. At the same time, the column ofthe saving values and the amounts 121 of the displaying panel 12 willshow the amount of the copper coin of one cent, and the field of thetime 124 of the displaying panel 12 will show 00:01. When the userpresses the button of the saving content 133 of the setting buttons 13again, the column of the saving values and the amounts 121 will show theamount of the copper coin of five cents, and the field of the time 124of the displaying panel 12 will show 00:05. After a suitable time, ifthe system didn't implement those functions, the system will return tothe normal mode of the saving counting.

Referring to the condition of time setting, when the user presses thebutton of the time setting 134 of the setting buttons 13, the lights 123of the system will be lighted from the third light from upper to lower,and choose the button of the hour setting 135 or minute setting 136. Atthat time, the microprocessor 32 will receive a signal, and the numberof the chosen button of the hour setting 135 or minute setting 136 willbe showed on the fields of the time 124 of the displaying panel 12. Thenpresses the button of the hour setting 135 or minute setting 136 toadjust the time, and then presses the button of the time setting 134again, the microprocessor 32 will receive the set signal.

Referring to the condition of alarm clock setting, after the conditionof time setting, the system will enter the condition of alarm clocksetting automatically, and the lights 123 of the system will be lightedfrom the fourth light from upper to lower. And chooses the button of thehour setting 135 or minute setting 136, at that time, the microprocessor32 will receive a signal, and the number of the chosen button of thehour setting 135 or minute setting 136 will be showed on the fields ofthe time 124 of the displaying panel 12. Then presses the button of thehour setting 135 or minute setting 136 again to adjust the time, andthen presses the button of the time setting 134 again, themicroprocessor 32 will receive the set signal and enter the condition ofsetting the music of the alarm clock. At that time, the microprocessor32 will intercept and broadcast the stored form of the sound effects inthe memory 31, and adjust the music by the button of the hour setting135 or minute setting 136. Then presses the button of the time settingagain, the microprocessor 32 will receive the signal and return to thenormal mode of the condition of saving counting.

When the voltage is insufficient, the microprocessor 32 will send awarning information, namely, the columns of the saving values, theamounts 121 and the saving progress 122 will be glittered continuously,and when changing the battery, the microprocessor 32 will store all thedata in the memory 31.

When the user opens the cover 14 of the coin bank 10, the microprocessor32 will receive a signal, namely, all the data except the time settingwill return to zero, and the thrown coins must be set again.

When the transmission hole 16 of the coin bank 10 is electricallyconnected to the transmission connector 34 of the circuit structure 30,the user can communicate with the computer by means of substantialtransmission lines or wireless transmission (such as infrared ray,wireless electric wave and bluetooth). By such arrangements, the usercan program and manage the coins stored in the coin bank 10 and show thevalue of each coin 40 by the finance-managing software installed in thecomputer and compatible with the circuit structure 30 of the coin bank10.

In addition, the above-mentioned form of sound effects of the circuitstructure 30 can be stored by music IC35, and the music will bebroadcasted by the loudspeaker 33 via the music return route by themicroprocessor 32.

One of the sliding blocks 22 of the coin-throwing device 20 can be fixedto one side of the front and rear plates 21, and the other sliding block22 can be moved outward, and the moving distance of the other slidingblock 22 plus the distance formed in the normal condition is the actualmoving distance of the other sliding block 22.

While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the artthat further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

1. An electronic coin bank, comprising: a coin bank, an upper surface ofthe coin bank being defined with a hole, a displaying panel and aplurality of setting buttons being disposed adjacent to the hole, thebottom of the coin bank being formed with another hole having a cover, abattery container and a transmission hole, the displaying panel and thesetting buttons being electrically connected to a circuit structure soas to show the set functions and the operation of the set functions ofthe circuit structure, the battery container serves as a power of thecircuit structure, the cover being electrically connected to the circuitstructure, and the transmission hole being electrically connected to atransmission connector of the circuit structure; a coin-throwing device,the coin-throwing device and a circuit structure being repeatedlydisposed in the coin bank that are located correspondingly to the holedefined in the upper surface of the coin bank, a sensing assembly of thecoin-throwing device being electrically connected to the circuitstructure and being provided a signal to the circuit structure, one sideof the coin-throwing device being repeatedly disposed with a circuitstructure and being provided for measuring and throwing coins, thecoin-throwing device includes a front and a rear plates, a left and aright sliding blocks, a sensing assembly and an elastic element, thefront and rear plates being combined to form a coin-entering hole, bothsides of the plate being disposed with a sliding block, between thefront and the rear plates being formed two protruded points that arelocated correspondingly to each other, at least one outer side of theplate being disposed with one elastic element, since both ends of theelastic element being combined to the sides of the sliding blocks, whichis equal to one surface of the elastic element, and the bottom of therespective sliding block being disposed with the sensing assembly; and acircuit structure, including a microprocessor, a loudspeaker, a memoryand a transmission connector which being electrically connected to thesensing assembly, the setting buttons and the displaying panel of thecoin-throwing device.
 2. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1,wherein the transmission hole of the coin bank is electrically connectedto the transmission connector of the circuit structure, and iscommunicated with the computer by means of substantial transmissionlines or wireless transmission (such as infrared ray, wireless electricwave and bluetooth).
 3. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1,wherein the sensing assembly having an electronic brush connecting footcombined to one sliding block and a brush piece combined to anothersliding block, the electronic brush connecting foot and the brush pieceare made of metal and are electrically connected to the circuitstructure.
 4. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe sensing assembly having two electronic brush connecting feetcombined to the sliding blocks and a brush piece combined to a surfaceof the circuit structure, the electronic brush connecting feet and thebrush piece are made of metal and are electrically connected to thecircuit structure.
 5. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1,wherein the sensing assembly is disposed at the bottom of the slidingblocks correspondingly to a lower portion of the plate and the relativesurface of the circuit structure, and having a raster plate and infraredrays that are combined to the surface of the circuit structure, and theinfrared rays are electrically connected to the circuit structure. 6.The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory ofthe circuit structure is stored with plural values correspondingly tothe diameters of the coins and the forms of sound effects.
 7. Theelectronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displaying panelis provided for showing saving values or amounts, saving progress, valuedisplaying lights and time.
 8. The electronic coin bank as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the setting buttons includes goal setting, goaladjusting, saving content, time setting, hour setting and minutesetting.
 9. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 6, wherein theform of sound effects of the circuit structure can be stored by musicIC35, and the music is broadcast by the loudspeaker via the music returnroute by the microprocessor.
 10. The electronic coin bank as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the settings of time, hour and minute are able to setalarm clock and choose the music of the alarm clock.
 11. The electroniccoin bank as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the sliding blocks ofthe coin-throwing device can be fixed to one side of the front and rearplates, and the other sliding block can be moved outward andrepositioned.
 12. The electronic coin bank as claimed in claim 1,wherein both sides of the plate are disposed with two sliding blocksthat can be moved outward and repositioned.